Innovations for rural areas of developing world need to be very sophisticated technologically.

Too often the innovations for rural areas are supposed to be tinkered and locally devised. I think innovation process whether in producing a new type of light for rural huts or for producing aircraft should follow the same method and processes. In fact innovations for rural areas will be more sophisticated since the resources are less and hence the end product has to be very efficient.

Apr 9 2014:
This is a fallacy that too often people in western countries propagate. Would you like to maintain yourself the computers or any gadgets you use? So why should poor people who are living on the edge be burdened to maintain their technologies. In fact the technologies for them should be foolproof and cheap. Both these things will happen with sophistication.

Apr 8 2014:
Thanks for the link. We developed this technology from sweet sorghum in 1980s and I get a feeling that it was copied for the sugar palm. Our technology has spread to quite a number of countries. http://nariphaltan.org/sorghum.pdf

Yet the technology is not rudimentary but quite sophisticated and that is what the idea in this conversation is about.

Apr 14 2014:
The sophisticated technologically needs to be intuitive to use.
Like David Sengeh sophisticated technologically designed prosthetic limb, is intuitive to use. Causing not only the no stress on the users or their cultures, they can embrace and flourish with the enhancement.

Apr 14 2014:
The causes why technologies are poorly applicable in rural area in developing countries are salient,first,people in rural area short for the knowledge to maintain and handle sophisticated techniques. Second, technology-related inventions and machinery are too expensive for them,since their priority is basic living.

So the means to introduce technology to rural people is through collective organizing,highly designed both technically and commercially. We need to motivate those labor force by facilitating the use of technology.

Apr 9 2014:
technology requires infrastructure, something rural areas invariably lack. Then there is the problem of competing interests that do not want their neighbours to infiltrate markets they deem to be their own.

In fact, with the explosion of urbanization occuring around the world, "rural" is becoming more and more of a valuable commodity than any industry could ever offer since industries come and go with markets and resources but rural can be forever.

Apr 9 2014:
One of the fastest selling item in rural India is cell phone. With price reduction and financial engineering regarding the cost of call the whole rural infrastructure to support cell phone was set up in a short time. People in rural areas do not have a single neuron less than any one of us and have the same aspirationsas people in urban areas. Technology developers should think of using very innovative and advanced technologies for use with less resources. That requires real ingenuity.

Apr 10 2014:
Anil, I agree with all your posts of this conversation.
Urban areas increase use of technology, while increasing dependence of getting nutrition from rural areas.
Rural areas require more technology because of urban lifestyles. Since urban areas do not grow enough food to be self sustaining, urban areas are responsible to integrate urban and rural areas, in a way that improves lives of those living in rural areas.

Apr 10 2014:
Thanks for your comments. Too often the people in urban areas forget that their whole basis of existence - the food comes for poor rural folks. It is in the interest of every one to bring in high technology so that food can be grown very efficiently with least harm to the environment. An article of mine illustrates what are the possibilities.http://www.nariphaltan.org/precisionagriculture.pdf

Apr 9 2014:
I think that rural areas do need efficient solutions, but not overly complex or sophisticated ones. Remember that the only reason urban areas can support the use of complex systems is because they have the infrastructure in place to maintain, repair, and run the them. The main considerations for urban solutions should be 1) reliability 2) simplicity 3) efficiency
(number one can also be durability)

Apr 9 2014:
Think for primitive areas, people need technology they can make and maintain themselves. Say, like solar ovens which can be made out of scrap metal but replaces the need for wood. A cheap filter which makes drinkable water made out of local products, depending upon the area.